noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˌɹaɪbəʊˈnjuːklieɪz/
1
noun
Meaning 1
Any of a group of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of ribonucleic acid.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
a transferase that catalyzes the hydrolysis of ribonucleic acid
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ribonucleinase, RNase
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: transferase
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English ribose English nucleic English ribonucleic Proto-Indo-European *dwóh1 Proto-Indo-European *dwísder. Ancient Greek διά (diá) Ancient Greek δῐᾰ- (dĭă-) Proto-Indo-European *steh2- Proto-Indo-European *stísteh2ti Proto-Hellenic *hístāmi Ancient Greek ῐ̔́στημῐ (hĭ́stēmĭ) Ancient Greek δῐῐ̈́στημῐ (dĭĭ̈́stēmĭ) Ancient Greek δῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs) English diastase English -ase English ribonuclease From ribonucleic + -ase.
Across languages
Translations
5 source translations are retained for this English entry.
French:
ribonucléase
— enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of ribonucleic acid
German:
Ribonuklease
— enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of ribonucleic acid
Icelandic:
ríbónúkleasi
— enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of ribonucleic acid
Russian:
рибонуклеа́за
(ribonukleáza)
— enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of ribonucleic acid
Ukrainian:
рибонуклеаза
(rybonukleaza)
— enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of ribonucleic acid